With combined directing and performing careers of over 50 years, Carol and Jimmy are among the most experienced and successful directors in the country. Working both together and separately they have, as Directors and Choreographers, been responsible for over 70 productions ranging from variety to pantomime, drama to revue, musicals to concerts.
Carol's work has received "Best Director" and "Best Choreographer" nominations and awards from AIMS (the Association of Irish Musical Societies) and the Northern Ireland Festival of Light Opera.
Jimmy is well known as an actor and singer appearing in theatre and concerts countrywide. You can find out more about him here.
They have worked together and separately with many musical societies including Portmarnock M.D.S. (9 shows), O'Connells M.S., Baldoyle M.S., Kill M.S., Avonmore M.S. (Arklow), and Cooline M.S. They have directed a huge range of shows including: Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar, Oliver, Oklahoma, My Fair Lady, The Hired Man, Carousel, Guys and Dolls, Wonderful Town, Annie, The Panto of the Opera, High School Musical and many plays including Juno and the Paycock, The Crucible, Canaries, and Roddy Doyle's War. They also produce and direct concerts including 4 Beaumont Foundation and in support of World Mental Health Week, and the highly successful Christmas Crackers series at The Helix each December. In the summer of 2016, Jimmy and Carol directed the first workshop production of Forkbeard and Olav: A Tale of Two Vikings, a new musical by Nancy Jenster.
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Rachel O'Byrne
Drama | Musical Theatre
Rachel trained at Song and Dance and Dublin Ballet School and holds a BA in Drama and Theatre Studies from Trinity College, Dublin where she had a special interest in drama in the community and young people's drama. She is one of the first graduates of The Lir Academy, from which she earned a B. Histr. (First Class) in Acting.
Rachel has worked as a Director/Choreographer with SDYT, Trinity College Halls Musical, Upstart Productions, Roundabout Youth Theatre Ballymun and in 2010 was nominated for Best Director at the Association of Irish Musical Societies Awards for Les Miserables in The Helix Theatre for REAL Theatre Co., which she co-founded. She also has a busy career as a singer, actor and voice-over artist.
Rachel has been teaching at Song and Dance for twelve years. She keeps coming back because she loves playing her part in helping every Song and Dance kid grow up a confident, happy young person.
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